Featured

Kathleen McKinney

All Creatures Great and Small

By:
James Herriot

Narrated by:
Christopher Timothy

Length: 15 hrs and 41 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,866

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
3,033

Story

5 out of 5 stars
3,029

In this first volume of his memoirs, then-newly-qualified vet James Herriot arrives in the small Yorkshire village of Darrowby, and he has no idea what to expect. How will he get on with his new boss? The local farmers? And what will the animals think? This program is filled with hilarious and touching tales of the unpredictable Siegfried Farnon, his charming student brother Tristan, and Herriot's first encounters with a beautiful girl named Helen.

A Wonderful Listen--Stories That Never Get Old

Friendly animal & people story....

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-28-13

Would you consider the audio edition of All Creatures Great and Small to be better than the print version?

I wouldn't say that; I've read all the books in this series, years ago. The audio version makes a great compliment to the printed version. Especially since the narrator is the actor who played Mr. Herriot on the beloved TV series.

What did you like best about this story?

The animal stories-I especially liked the stories about the small animals.

What about Christopher Timothy’s performance did you like?

I loved his portrayal in the TV series as Dr. Herriot & his narration in this series shows he really has a deep affection for the characters & the story. I plan to purchase the entire series from Audible.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed at Mrs. Pumphrey & Trickey-Woo, her spoiled peke. I teared up often at the love his patients & their owners had for each other & when there was a death.

Any additional comments?

These books are splendid for the whole family. I look forward to getting the 2nd book in the series. I can't recommend them more. I also will be looking for any more books narrated by Christopher Timothy-he is superb.

3 of 6 people found this review helpful

Little Heathens

Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression

By:
Mildred Armstrong Kalish

Narrated by:
Ruth Ann Phimister

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
82

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
70

Story

4 out of 5 stars
71

As foreclosure fragments her family, five-year-old Mildred and her three siblings find refuge with her grandparents enjoying a modest retirement. When the "little heathens" flush the seniors and their child-rearing skills out of retirement, the grandparents deploy tough but loving bedtime schedules, Bible and prayer routines, and plenty of character-building chores. Having no electricity or indoor plumbing and with little heat or money on the farm, Mildred learns to find joy in the priceless blessings of life.

Makes you appreciate today's living

A glimpse of simpler times on an Iowa farm...

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-08-13

What made the experience of listening to Little Heathens the most enjoyable?

The narrator is perfection & really gets you involved in the story, a true re-telling of a girl growing up with her 3 siblings & her mother on her grandparent's farm in Iowa-along with a large extended family in the Great Depression. How they all 'made do' and had happy lives even through privation is amazing. Until late in the 30s, they had no electricity, no indoor plumbing, survived on food they raised/grew on the farm with the exception of coffee, sugar & salt. This is truly a case of the author passing through the fire and coming out 'refined to gold'. She takes us through to her marriage, her training as a teacher (she taught in a university for a while) and her thankfulness for the lessons she learned growing up in hard times.Very rewarding, interesting book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mildred, the author of the story. She always made the best of the hand she was dealt, without grumbling. I felt as though I had found a new friend. The author must have been in her 80s when it was written & her memory is amazing. I doubt if I had been thrust into her life that I could have made such a success of it as she did. She discusses just about every facet of her life, which fascinated me, since I love social history, the little things that make up people's daily life. This is a social history that the younger generation would do well to listen to, since it is so different to the way we live today-like day and night. The people who survived the Great Depression are leaving us daily, so we should ask questions of our grandparents about this period in history before it is too late.

Which scene was your favorite?

Hard to decide, but I think when the whole family got together to cook for a holiday or some special occasion & everyone helped, even the small children-the way they shared the work. There were chores for all but the smallest kids on the farm every day so everyone felt they were of help & had self-worth. There was such a feeling of family unity & love.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

If this isn't inappropriate, when Mildred began to develop a woman's shape at age 11 and when she had her first menstrual period, she was terrified for no one had prepared her for this. Finally she told her mother, who never explained why it happened or even that it would happen every month, but showed her how to use what passed for sanitary napkins when it happened again. Parents did not tell their kids the facts of life, they were left to get it 'behind the barn' and they were also taught to be ashamed of their bodies. How sad. We have gone to the opposite now where nothing much is kept secret, but this was very affecting.

Any additional comments?

I treasure this book. Since it has so many 'layers', I will certainly listen to it again & again finding details that I may have missed. I will look for other books narrated by this same fine lady, Ruth Ann Phimister. It will probably be one of my 'comfort food' books that I listen to when I am feeling blue. Anyone who is interested in how life used to be mustn't miss this book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

The House at Riverton [recorded under the alternate title The Shifting Fog]

By:
Kate Morton

Narrated by:
Caroline Lee

Length: 18 hrs and 52 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
4,184

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,113

Story

4 out of 5 stars
3,112

Summer 1924: On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again....Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken, and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks.

5 out of 5 stars

superbly written mystery

By
Cathy
on
03-18-07

The House at Riverton [recorded under the alternate title The Shifting Fog]

Disappointment in ending & choice of narrator

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-30-12

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I didn't like the shifting back & forth in time; hard to keep track. It was very detailed but I kept with it. Listened to it at home while cooking/cleaning. I plan to try another Kate Morton book-this was my first experience with her writing. I was disappointed with the ending.

Would you recommend The House at Riverton to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, except I would warn them that they have to listen very carefully to the last few chapters; otherwise they might be confused as to what happened to the characters. I checked the book out of the library, in fact, read the last few chapters-finally got it. It seems as though she left the plight of several characters hanging. It was like it ended with a whimper instead of a bang.

What three words best describe Caroline Lee’s voice?

Ms. Lee has a nice voice but so definitely Australian that it really was off-putting for a story set in England. In the beginning chapter, the pronunciation of any two letter words, like "No" is jarring, since the Aussies pronounce it with a 'curly-que' at the end, like 'No-a-e', like it had 3 syllables. I got used to it after awhile. If you want three words to describe her voice, I'd say...Australian, Australian, Australian.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes. See how they would handle the swinging back & forth in time. I like the historical period so would probably enjoy the sets & costumes as well.

Any additional comments?

I wish the author had tied up the loose ends for all the major characters. i.e.: how did Grace happen to become an archeologist? What happened to Alfred after he married? It was a long book, maybe it would have made it into 2 volumes if she had. I'll try another of her books, see if she follows a similar pattern to this.

Talk Show

By:
Dick Cavett

Narrated by:
Dick Cavett

Length: 9 hrs

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
233

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
181

Story

4 out of 5 stars
179

For years, Dick Cavett played host to the nation’s most famous personalities on his late-night talk show. In this humorous and evocative book, we get to hear Cavett's best tales, as he recounts great moments with the legendary entertainers who crossed his path and offers his own trenchant commentary on contemporary American culture and politics.

4 out of 5 stars

Pretend he's not being pretentious, & you'll enjoy

Fascinating...

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-31-12

I used to watch Dick's talk show & liked it since he didn't just stick to film stars, but brilliant people like Bill Buckley. This is a real find-the fact that Cavett narrates the book & very well too, enhances the experience. As other reviewers have said, it is like he is in the room with you. I was enthralled through all of it. I would almost bet a fiver that you will not be bored. Bravo!

2 of 4 people found this review helpful

The Elephant to Hollywood

By:
Michael Caine

Narrated by:
Michael Caine

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
739

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
600

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
596

Charming, engaging, and surprisingly forthright, Michael Caine gives us his insider's view of Hollywood and the story of his brilliant second act. When he was in his late 50s, Michael Caine believed his Hollywood career had come to an end. The scripts being sent his way were worse and worse. Salvation came in the unlikely form of his old friend Jack Nicholson, who convinced him to give acting one more shot. What followed was one of the most radical comebacks in film history.

Sir Michael is awesome

Interesting life, wonderful narrator!

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-31-12

This is a book I highly recommend. The fact that Mr. Caine narrates is definitely a bonus-it is like you are sitting across the dinner table from him. He chuckles & you can hear him smiling at some of his stories. He is a man who never lost contact with his 'working class' roots in the UK & I enjoyed every word. It is touching as he tells how he fell in love with his wife Shakira after seeing her on TV selling coffee. I like to choose books that I'll like to listen to again & there is so much detail in this book, I'm sure I will revisit this book again, like an old friend. Btw, the title refers to the place he was born/grew up-Elephant & Castle, a section of London. I laughed out loud several times in the first 20 minutes of the book, but there are many serious parts as well. A real keeper.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Maisie Dobbs

By:
Jacqueline Winspear

Narrated by:
Rita Barrington

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
5,062

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,207

Story

4 out of 5 stars
4,204

Maisie Dobbs isn't just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence - and the patronage of her benevolent employers - she works her way into college at Cambridge. After the War I and her service as a nurse, Maisie hangs out her shingle back at home: M. DOBBS, TRADE AND PERSONAL INVESTIGATIONS. But her very first assignment soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War and the love she left behind.

A delightful discovery

No desire to continue the series..

Overall

2 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-31-12

I was hopeful about this series since I like this historical period. This is the first book in a series about Maisie Dobbs; folks, it is very depressing. I did finish it but was longing for it come to the end. I investigated the plots of the rest of the Dobbs series & it seems as though the rest are depressing as well. At least, I'm not taking a chance. If I want to be depressed, I will turn on the news.

20 of 24 people found this review helpful

The Master’s Muse

A Novel

By:
Varley O’Connor

Narrated by:
Coleen Marlo

Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
33

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
30

Story

4 out of 5 stars
29

“We set our sights on each other almost from the beginning.”

So begins The Master’s Muse, an exquisite, deeply affecting novel about the true love affair between two artistic legends: George Balanchine, the Russian émigré to America who is widely considered the Shakespeare of dance, and his wife and muse, Tanaquil Le Clercq.

great story of love

Not what I was hoping for...

Overall

2 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-31-12

George Balanchine was a fascinating man; I love ballet & was hoping for more in this re-telling of his life with Tanaquil Le Clercq, who contracted polio that ended her dancing career. It is not a biography, but a novel. I listened to about 1/3 of the book & finally quit since it was so tedious. I have a problem with books about real people with conversations that are imagined by the author-maybe that's one reason I didn't care for it. The characters didn't seem to come alive-the narrator tried to copy Mr. B's accent & did remarkably well. I was just disappointed with this book. I think I will seek out biographies in future, instead of the novelistic approach. The characters, all interesting people, just never 'caught fire'.

1 of 3 people found this review helpful

George Eliot

The Last Victorian

By:
Kathryn Hughes

Narrated by:
Nadia May

Length: 20 hrs and 35 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
33

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
26

Story

4 out of 5 stars
27

The daughter of a respectable self-made businessman, the middle-aged Eliot was cast into social exile when she began a scandalous liaison with married writer and scientist George Henry Lewes. Only her burgeoning literary success allowed her to overcome society's disapproval and eventually take her proper place at the heart of London's literary elite. The territory of her novels encompassed the entire span of Victorian society.

petty.

Wonderful narrator but that's all...

Overall

2 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-29-12

I was attracted by "The Last Victorian" in the title, and the narrator, Nadia May, who is matchless; I love anything she narrates as a rule. However, this is the first book I ever purchased from Audible that I couldn't finish. Maybe the fact that I am not a fan of George Eliot is a factor, but honestly, this is one of the most boring books ever. Ms. May narrates with her usual skill, but this is like making bricks without straw. It goes on far too long & I think I gave up just b/4 the midway point. Ms. Eliot did have some love affairs but even then, this is dull in the retelling. If you can't sleep, put this one on and I would almost bet it will send you off to dreamland in a trice.

3 of 6 people found this review helpful

The Edwardians

By:
Vita Sackville-West

Narrated by:
Carole Boyd

Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
19

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
15

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
15

At nineteen, Sebastian is a duke and heir to a vast country estate. A deep sense of tradition binds him to his inheritance, though he loathes the social circus he is a part of. Deception, infidelity and greed hide beneath the glittering surface of good manners. Among the guests at a lavish party are two people who will change Sebastian's life: Lady Roehampton, who will initiate him in the art of love; and Leonard Anquetil, a polar explorer who will lead Sebastian and his free-spirited sister Viola to question their destiny.... Carole Boyd reads Vita Sackville West’s classic novel of elegance and decadence.

The Aristocracy Has It So Bad!

Not what I was looking for....

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-29-12

I was looking for Edwardian themes to help me in my Downton Abbey withdrawal but this turned out to be an unfortunate choice. There are a few bits about how the ladies wore their hair/dress, but on the whole, is quite boring. I didn't care about the 'hero' of the story, and the tale ended with a 'whimper', not a 'bang'. This is another title that might help insomniacs get sleepy.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

All Passion Spent

By:
Vita Sackville-West

Narrated by:
Wendy Hiller

Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
60

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
49

Story

4 out of 5 stars
48

In 1860, as an unmarried girl of 17, Lady Slane nurtures a secret, burning ambition – to become an artist. She becomes, instead, the wife of a great statesman, Henry, the first Earl of Slane, and the mother of six children. Seventy years later, released by widowhood, she abandons the family home in Elm Park Gardens much to the dismay of her pompous sons and daughters.

Aging Gracefully

If you saw the Masterpiece Theatre version...

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-29-12

I was looking for something to help me in my Downton Abbey withdrawal & chose this; I had forgotten that PBS had presented a version on Masterpiece Theatre several years ago with the narrator, Wendy Hiller, as the star, which I saw. She is wonderful as narrator but I really got tired of the story about half way through & wish I hadn't bothered. Ms. Sackville West wrote this c. 1930 & she is a good writer, I just wish I hadn't wasted a credit on it. This might work as something to send you off to sleep at night, though.